How To Make Basic Fruit Jam Without Pectin (2024)

FAQs

How can I thicken jam without pectin? ›

The secret ingredient to making jam without pectin is time. The fruit and sugar need plenty of time to cook and thicken. A long, slow boil drives the moisture out of the fruit, helping to preserve and thicken it at the same time.

Although we are not adding powdered pectin, we will add citric acid or lemon juice to the jam. This gives an additional pop of pectin but also some acidity that balances the sweetness of the jam. Citric acid provides very consistent results, which is why I like to use it.

Cornstarch - Another plant-based thickening agent, cornstarch is a great substitute for pectin. Gelatin - For non-vegan menu items, you can substitute gelatin for pectin, but it will yield a different consistency.

Before the availability of commercial pectin products, traditional jams and jellies were made by cooking fruit or fruit juice with sugar until the mixture reached a jelly-like consistency.

Lemon is crucial to balancing those sweet flavors, but it also helps the pectin to firm up the jam. It can be added at the start of the cooking process or towards the end, but what must be taken into account is that adding liquids to the jam mixture will inevitably require the jam to cook for longer.

Add pectin.

While this trick won't work for jam recipes that already call for pectin, adding pectin to a loose batch of jam while re-cooking it almost guarantees that the jam with set back up nicely. Whisk a tablespoon of powdered pectin (preferably the no-sugar-needed variety) into the pot of cooking jam.

Over-ripe or damaged fruit is not ideal - the jam will not set well and is likely to deteriorate rapidly. The amount of sugar you need to make jam depends on the amount of pectin in your chosen fruit, but generally the fruit-to-sugar ratio for traditional jams is 1:1 (ie. 450g/1lb sugar to 450g/1lb fruit).

No extra pectin– You may wonder if strawberry jam is better with or without pectin. Strawberries are naturally low in pectin, so some people prefer to add additional pectin to jams and jellies. However, I actually prefer homemade jam without extra pectin. They are a bit softer in texture, making it more versatile.

You can use bottled lemon juice or fresh. However, I personally look to use other complementary juices to certain fruit jams. Rather than rely on lemon juice I would for example use redcurrant juice from fresh redcurrants in a strawberry jam instead, or an acidic type of apple and apple juice in a blackberry jam etc.

Some people use it to good effect, but I tend to avoid it because I have gotten much better results by just using pectin-rich fruit that is just ripe enough, and then dialing in on the sugar and acid and heat. Jams that I've made with added pectin have often turned out too thick and rubbery, with a dull flavor.

How did pioneers make jam? ›

Early settlers in New England used other ways of making jam, using molasses, honey and maple sugar to give it the sweet taste. They used pectin obtained from boiling apple peel to use as the thickening agent. In the early 1800s in the United States, the country was experiencing a surge westward.

When making jams, jellies and preserves from fruits that contain natural pectin, it's not necessary to add additional pectin. These products are cooked to the desired consistency.

Add the butter, which will help disperse any foam which is a natural part of jam making. The butter helps minimise this, and disperses any foam back into the jam. Bring to a rapid, rolling boil for four minutes. Don't be afraid of the rolling boil, this is crucial to producing a jam that will set.

To remake jam or jelly without added pectin

Pour jam into a large kettle and bring to a boil. If the fruit was quite ripe and not acid enough, add 1 1/2 teaspoons bottled lemon juice per cup of jam or jelly before boiling. Boil until mixture reaches 220 degrees on a candy thermometer or until it sheets off a spoon.

Fruit pectin has been associated with potential side effects like gas, bloating, or abdominal discomfort. It could also affect digestion in some cases. Be careful about taking supplements and using commercially available pectin mixes, especially if you're allergic to certain high-pectin fruits like apples and oranges.

For every 4 cups of jam that needs to be remade, whisk together 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon powdered pectin. Pour the jam into a low, wide pan and add the sugar and pectin combo. Stir until the sugar and pectin has dissolved.

Heat small amounts of jam in the microwave, a few seconds at a time, and then use as you would normally. If it's still too thick, add some water while heating in the microwave, and then use it as an unusual pancake or ice cream syrup.

If the fruit you are using has low pectin levels, then you can add some more pectin and reboil the jam.

Some fruits, like lemons, cranberries, quinces and tart apples, are high in natural pectin. It's also less common in unripe and over-ripe fruit. When making jam with other fruits – berries, for example – thickening will not happen naturally and pectin should be added.